


the waters that drown me, the fires that burn me

by melting_snow



Category: The Blacklist (US TV)
Genre: Action & Romance, Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-12-07 17:21:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18237950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melting_snow/pseuds/melting_snow
Summary: He never got to save Masha Rostova out of that burning house and this was his biggest regret. Imagine his surprise when he bumps into a broken dove while waiting for one of his clients on a dark day in New York.





	the waters that drown me, the fires that burn me

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not a native english speaker so I apologize in advance for all the mistakes I'm going to make. Please bear with me. I just needed to get this off my chest even if it probably sucks. Happy reading anyway.

**the waters that drown me, the fires that burn me**

It’s funny how things go. He never really believed in superficial things like fate or _karma_.

His mother had been different. She had once beaten the lessons into his then still frail body – if he didn’t behave accordingly, God would crush him like a bug (her words not his), using her as his tool. In the beginning he had always cried and begged her to stop but had soon come to realize that that was something this despicable woman was actually yearning for. So, at the tender age of 7 he just stopped and took the pain as stoically as possible and he believed that in the end – that was what drove her insane.

But on this dark and gloomy day his believes, he held once held so close to his heart, would be drastically rearranged.

Raymond Reddington stood somewhere between Washington Heights and Sugar Hill, staring at the cold, grey water of the Hudson River as it made its journey all the way from Mount Marcey to the Upper Bay of New York City. Considering his history, water has always had a calming influence on his, sometimes disturbed, mind. But right now, he couldn’t help to feel nervousness creeping its way into his body.

His contact was late, and tardiness was one of the many, many things he did not like in any business associations.

The cool wind carried the smell of greasy food and broken dreams all the way from the city. Sometimes he still wondered what life would’ve had in store for him if had just made a few different decisions in his younger years. People like him, who lived of the fear of strangers, would only find true peace in death and that was one of his biggest regrets.

There was the sound of tiny stones under heavy boots that brought his attention back to reality. He looked behind him and found a young girl or woman, standing just a few feet away from him. She stared suspiciously at him and it seemed like she didn’t know how to approach a man in a three-piece suit who clearly didn’t belong in that area.

Her dirty clothes and pale skin identified her as one of the many homeless teenagers around this city. Red knew, that some of them liked to find shelter around the river because it was the most convenient water source around here. Some of the kids ended up with tapeworms and severe cases of poisoning from drinking this filth but to them it was better than dying or the humiliating experience from being thrown out of a diner. He couldn’t blame them. Even though they did own nothing, some of them clung to their pride like it was a lifeline.

“Hello, my dear. How may I be of assistance?”

He hoped a couple of bucks would be enough to get her out of the way. Even though he knew Nikolay fairly well, he didn’t want to risk this girls life over some petty misunderstanding. Her blue eyes took in his appearance and she opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, before she took a step in his direction. “I have…” She froze and blinked a couple of times. Her dazed eyes looked behind her and she didn’t seem to know exactly what she was looking for. Some seagulls shrieked over their heads but apart from that their surroundings were quiet.

“Look. I’m about to meet a friend of mine and he is not one of the nicest fellows you would have encountered in your short life. So how about, I give you a few dollars, you get a nice hotel room and a warm meal for the night and leave right now.”

She blinked at him again, tears forming in her eyes and it felt like something on the inside of her brain was just beyond broken. He sighed and grabbed his wallet, shoving 500 $ in her direction. As expected, she didn’t make the slightest movement to take what was offered. Again, she looked behind her, as if afraid she was going to get mugged any second. Red didn’t know what kind of drugs she shoved into her body on daily basis, but this was not normal behavior.

“I know you…”

She took another step and her soft fingertips touched his cheek almost gently. He couldn’t remember the last time another human being had touched him like that, and his heart started aching. The blue in her eyes looked like an ocean and he had the insufferable urge to push her away. This was wrong on so many levels.

The shot came out of nowhere and her saw her body go rigid. Without a second thought she shoved him to the ground before she collapsed on top of him.

Before the shooter had a chance to fire another round in their direction, he dragged her over the edge of the pier and felt the cold water of the river swallow them whole.

The most important rule in situations like that was not to lose your orientation. You would be dead by the minute. So, he kept the girls tiny body close to his chest while he dived upstream. Neither of them would be able to hold their breath for a long period of time but he hoped that the odds were in his favor and the shooter would have to climb down from whatever elevated spot he’d been staying on, in order to get to them.

Maybe twenty minutes later he was finally sure that they lost their pursuer and got back on land on the other side of the river.

His hand clasped around her wrist, as he dragged her out of the filthy water. Industrial waste and god know what else was being poured into the water from all over the place and he had to fight the gag reflex when he finally was able to collapse next to her limp body. The girl was the filthiest little thing he had ever laid eyes on. Her clothes were torn and considering her smell she probably didn’t have a shower in a very long time. Blood was seeping out of the wound on her shoulder and only when the warm liquid started spilling on his hand did, he take action.

How his phone survived the little diving exercise he couldn’t even begin to fathom but as he called one of his associates, he made mental note to send the phone company a fruit basket.

“Dembe, my dear friend. I fear, I am in direst need of your services and could you also organize an immediate meeting with Mr. Kaplan? I have a broken dove who is in need of fixing.”

Not even 20 minutes later a black Audi pulled up next to him, all while he was putting pressure on the shoulder wound. The scaring would look atrocious because right now he didn’t have any chance to get her to a good plastic surgeon. Maybe later if she was strong enough to survive this adventure. When he picked her up and placed her in the car her underweight became even more obvious. Dark hair was falling over her face and the white skin looked almost translucent.

“What happened?” Dembes eyes took in the perimeter while putting the car back into gear and driving down the road as fast as he dared.

“I have no fucking idea what happened. I was waiting for Nikolay when this girl approached me, probably to steal my watch or something when I heard a shot. It was probably a sniper. A second followed and suddenly she is draped all over me. I had no choice but dive into the river to seek cover.”

“She saved your life”, the other man concluded.

“Most people who hear a gunshot are trying to save their own life. It’s a natural survival instinct.”

“I know that”, Red replied darkly.

“What are you going to do with her?”

He went silent for a few minutes, absently stroking the hair from her face. His eyes roamed over her body, taking in the scaring on her skinny arms and the hematomas on her body. It felt very strange, this newfound co-dependence. Some people spent their entire lives searching for foundation, a place to call home, and the ties that bind, but not him. Beyond the demands of his obligations to his organization, his life had been self-serving. Now, everything had changed, and as a result his priorities were drastically rearranged. It was the preparations for the things to come and he was not ready to watch the spirit of possibility leave this broken girl’s body. Not now, when he’d finally found her.

“Oh… I’m going to make her famous.”

TbC


End file.
